April 2011 Staff Picks

Nearly every musician remembers that moment when everything changed. Sometimes it was expected, other times not. This month our editors, along with our new Power Shred columnist Herman Li from Dragonforce, remember their first concert. Feel free to send your early concert memories to info@premierguitar.com.

Joe Coffey – Editorial DirectorWhat am I listening to?
Dropkick Murphys, Going Out in Style. Love these guys. Celtic spirit, punk attitude, crazy energy… they’ve got their thing dialed in.What was your first concert?
Van Halen at Reunion Arena in Dallas on July 15, 1984—the 2nd-to-last US gig of the first Roth era. They stayed about 20 feet apart the whole time. Still a great show.

Jol Dantzig – Esoterica Electrica ColumnistWhat am I listening to?
Otis Rush, The Cobra Classic Recordings 1956- 1958. The guitars are great, but the emotional punch of the vocals is what floors me. Bonus: Ike Turner is on second guitar.
What was your first concert?
The Dirty Wurds, a Chicago-based Rolling Stones-wannabe band, played at my high school. Three songs in, the principal pulled the plug and I was hooked on rock!

Rebecca Dirks – Web Content EditorWhat am I listening to?
Ian Moore and the Lossy Coils, El Sonido Nuevo. I’ve been loving this album of guitar-driven pop-rock—and not just because Ian writes a monthly column for premierguitar.com!What was your first concert?
My first concert was almost certainly one of the Jimmy Buffett shows my Parrothead parents took me to as a youngster, but the first show I chose to attend was Green Day with Blink 182 and Saves the Day.

Andy Ellis – Senior EditorWhat am I listening to?
Wes Montgomery, Movin’ Along. A guitar bro turned me on to this frequently overlooked album. Incredibly, on three tunes (a total of five takes) Montgomery plays his inimitable lines on a Gibson EB-6 tuned an octave below standard guitar.What was your first concert?
Little Stevie Wonder at the Olympia Theater in Paris, in December 1963. Oh wait, you mean guitar concert? The Yardbirds with Jimmy Page.

Shawn Hammond – Editor in ChiefWhat am I listening to?
Radiohead, The King of Limbs. There’s little of the grooving soulfulness found on 2007’s In Rainbows, but the hauntingly beautiful tracks and cool guitar syncopation remind me why I’ll always dig Radiohead’s steadfast refusal to be pigeonholed or bossed around by the industry.What was your first concert?
Van Halen’s 1984 tour. My cool mom and I were in the nosebleeds, but I still daydreamed about being called onstage to jam with the guy who inspired me to pick up guitar.

Chris Kies – Associate EditorWhat am I listening to?
Soundgarden, Live on I5. This disc showcases the Seattle quartet’s most recognizable lineup on top of its game, with ferociously primal vocals from Chris Cornell and spot-on solos and riffing from Kim Thayil. Two surprising covers— ”Helter Skelter” and “Search and Destroy.”What was your first concert?
Besides the mid-’90s Warped Tour, I think my first real show was a bill with AFI and Rancid at the Rivera in Chicago. The best part—mom was the chauffeur!

Herman Li – Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
The last couple of weeks I’ve been listening to a lot of Eric Johnson. I only got Up Close about a month ago, and I really love his beautiful tone and melodies.
What was your first concert?
The first concert I went to was Steve Vai’s Sex & Religion Tour in London. I had only been playing guitar for a year, and seeing Steve play for the first time was an experience I will never forget. I also remember Devin Townsend running into the crowd like a lunatic! It was like, “WOW!”

Charles Saufley – Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
Six Organs of Admittance, Asleep on the Floodplain. Ben Chasny returns to more pastoral, mostly acoustic settings, but the grooves are stunningly honest, intimate, and intense.
What was your first concert?
My supra-cool mom used to take me to all-ages club dates at Berkeley Square, where I’d watch my brother’s instrumental surf band open for the Raybeats and Ventures, among others. An amazing education.

Jason Shadrick – Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
The Warren Haynes Band, Man in Motion. It was recorded in Texas, but you can hear the ghosts of Motown and Memphis in every note. It also has amazing rhythm guitar playing.
What was your first concert?
The first concert I went to on my own that really changed me was Dave Matthews Band in August of ’95. I was pretty clueless then and actually thought DMB wrote “All Along the Watchtower,” since they played it as an encore.

Stay Connected

Sign up for our email newsletters!

Get the PG Apps

On PremierGuitar.com, "Sponsored Content" refers to articles, videos, or audio recordings that are produced or curated by an advertiser but that Premier Guitar is happy to share alongside our own editorial content due to the Sponsored Content’s educational, musical, or entertainment value. Sponsored Content is clearly labeled everywhere it appears, and Premier Guitar's editorial department has no involvement in its creation.